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Timber Rattlesnake

Crotalus horridus · also called Canebrake Rattlesnake, Canebrake, Banded Rattlesnake and Velvet-tailed Rattler · Last checked November 3, 2026.

A pale gray and yellow rattlesnake with black zigzag bands and an orange stripe lies coiled on pine needles.
Yellow-phase adult coiled in pine needles, showing black chevron crossbands and rust stripe Photo: NPS Photo · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Venomous

The timber rattlesnake (called the canebrake rattlesnake in much of the South) is a large, heavy-bodied pit viper with dark chevron crossbands and a black tail tipped with a rattle. It is venomous: official sources say its bite is dangerous to people and pets and can cause human death, though it is not aggressive and most bites happen when the snake is molested or stepped on. It lives across much of the eastern half of the US, from New England to northern Florida and west to Texas, Oklahoma and Wisconsin. Florida Museum of Natural History

On this page
  1. Is it dangerous?
  2. How to identify it
  3. Lookalikes
  4. Where it lives
  5. When it is active
  6. Habitat and habits
  7. Legal status and reporting
  8. Questions
  9. Sources

Is the timber rattlesnake dangerous?

Venomous. Bites can be very dangerous to people and pets; the snake is not aggressive and avoids contact. Florida Museum of Natural History

“The Timber Rattlesnake is a large and impressive snake, and bites can be very dangerous to people and pets. … Timber rattlesnakes are not aggressive and avoid direct contact with people and pets.”

Bites and stings: Not aggressive; Florida Museum says most bites occur when the snake is intentionally molested or accidentally stepped on. It can strike without rattling first (Florida Museum, Georgia DNR, CDC/NIOSH).

If someone is bitten or stung, call 911 or Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222.

How to identify a timber rattlesnake

A photo or description can narrow it down, but cannot confirm what an animal is or that it is safe. Look from a distance and do not handle wild animals.

A blackish rattlesnake with pale-edged dark bands lies coiled among dry leaves and green plants.
Dark-phase adult coiled in leaf litter, black head and pale-edged chevrons Photo: Michael J. Papay · CC BY 4.0 · iNaturalist
A brown rattlesnake with darker bands lies coiled next to a large rock in a woodland clearing.
Brown adult coiled beside a rock, dark crossbands on a tan ground Photo: Ann McKenzie · CC0 1.0 · iNaturalist
A brown banded rattlesnake rests coiled under a ledge of gray rock, partly screened by twigs.
Adult resting in a rock crevice, a typical den-site setting Photo: User:Rstanton13 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized

Size: Most adults 36 to 60 inches (3 to 5 feet); record 74.5 inches. Florida Museum of Natural History

Colors: Ground color yellow, tan, brown or gray; southern (canebrake) form: gray, brown, tan, yellow, orange or pink; dark phase: crossbands on a blackish-brown background. Pattern: Large black chevron-like (V-shaped) crossbands down the body; reddish-brown stripe down the center of the back.

Key features

Young

Newborns are miniature adults about 10 to 14 inches long, with hollow fangs and venom and a tiny rattle segment called a "pre-button"; after the first shed they drop it to reveal the button (New York).

Animals mistaken for the timber rattlesnake

Timber Rattlesnake or Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake?

Timber Rattlesnake

Timber Rattlesnake
Photo: NPS Photo · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake Crotalus adamanteus

Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake
Photo: Kent P. McFarland · CC0 1.0 · iNaturalist

Diamondback has a row of large dark diamonds with brown centers and cream borders, and a light-bordered dark stripe through each eye. Florida Museum of Natural History

Venomous (Florida Museum).

Timber Rattlesnake or Pygmy Rattlesnake?

Timber Rattlesnake

Timber Rattlesnake
Photo: NPS Photo · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Pygmy Rattlesnake Sistrurus miliarius

Pygmy Rattlesnake
Photo: Jolieokefenokee · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Oklahoma (western pygmy rattlesnake): much smaller (usually under 2 feet), spots rather than crossbands, and a very small rattle; it has tiny scales on top of the head where the timber has large scales. Pygmies also have an orange to red-orange midline, so a back stripe does not separate them. Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation

Venomous (Louisiana LDWF).

Where the timber rattlesnake lives

Texas: on the state's official listKentucky: on the state's official listGeorgia: on the state's official listWisconsin: on the state's official listMissouri: on the state's official listVirginia: on the state's official listTennessee: on the state's official listLouisiana: on the state's official listNew York: on the state's official listFlorida: on the state's official listIllinois: on the state's official listMinnesota: on the state's official listMaryland: on the state's official listIowa: on the state's official listOhio: on the state's official listNebraska: on the state's official listArkansas: on the state's official listMississippi: on the state's official listNorth Carolina: on the state's official listOklahoma: on the state's official listWest Virginia: on the state's official listIndiana: on the state's official listMassachusetts: on the state's official listPennsylvania: on the state's official listSouth Carolina: on the state's official listMaine: on the state's official listRhode Island: on the state's official listConnecticut: on the state's official listAlabama: on the state's official listKansas: on the state's official listVermont: on the state's official listNew Jersey: on the state's official listNew Hampshire: on the state's official list
Official presence. 33 states where a state list or official source names it. Gray means no official record in our data, not that it is absent.
  • Native or listed
  • Nonnative or not established
  • No official record in our data
Texas: 79 recordsKentucky: 29 recordsGeorgia: 60 recordsWisconsin: 3 recordsMissouri: 22 recordsVirginia: 51 recordsTennessee: 42 recordsLouisiana: 16 recordsNew York: 155 recordsFlorida: 6 recordsIllinois: 9 recordsMinnesota: 2 recordsMaryland: 21 recordsIowa: 2 recordsOhio: 6 recordsNebraska: 5 recordsArkansas: 39 recordsMississippi: 20 recordsNorth Carolina: 41 recordsOklahoma: 7 recordsWest Virginia: 19 recordsIndiana: 4 recordsMassachusetts: 5 recordsPennsylvania: 144 recordsSouth Carolina: 32 recordsConnecticut: 2 recordsAlabama: 115 recordsKansas: 25 recordsNew Jersey: 11 records
Observation records. Open-licence records on GBIF in 29 states. Records are sightings people shared, not confirmation that a population lives there.
  • 1–9
  • 10–99
  • 100–999
  • 1,000+

On our state guides

State boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau, cartographic boundary file cb_2024_us_state_20m.

When it is active

Missouri: mainly active April through mid-October; basks on sunny rocks in spring and autumn, mostly nocturnal in summer; overwinters in dens (often communal on rock ledges and bluffs in northern Missouri). Missouri Department of Conservation

US open-licence records peak in May to August.

1,050 US records by month (GBIF, CC0 and CC BY). Shows when people record it, not how many there are.

Habitat and habits

Habitat: Hardwood forest with rocky outcrops, pine flatwoods, bottomland hardwood forest and cane thickets (Alabama); in New York, deciduous hardwood forests in rugged terrain, also lowlands, wetlands or residential areas near dens. Outdoor Alabama

Behavior: Usually mild tempered and tries to escape; may lie still and rely on camouflage, and strikes only in defense. Sometimes climbs trees.

Diet: Mainly mammals, occasionally birds; also lizards, snakes, amphibians, insects and carrion (Florida Museum). Texas: rabbits, squirrels, rats, mice; waits coiled beside a fallen tree or log for prey.

Young: Gives birth to live young: in New York 4 to 14 (average 9) young every three to five years, late August to mid-September.

Legal status and reporting

Federal: Not listed under the Endangered Species Act (ECOS returns "Resolved Taxon"; NYSDEC states Federal Status: Not Listed). US Fish and Wildlife Service

Protection: Protected in several states: threatened in New York (collecting prohibited), endangered in Ohio, legally protected in Pennsylvania (permit required to take or possess), special concern in North Carolina. Check the state wildlife agency. NYSDEC

Report: Some states ask for sightings: North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission ("Rattlesnake Sightings Wanted"), NYSDEC regional wildlife offices, and Ohio Division of Wildlife (sighting form in Publication 115). For a snake that must be moved in Pennsylvania, PFBC says to call a local Waterways Conservation Officer. N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission

Questions about the timber rattlesnake

Timber rattlesnake bite

Timber rattlesnakes are venomous. Missouri says the bite is dangerous and can cause human death; New York says venom can be fatal if a bite is untreated. Most bites happen when the snake is molested or stepped on. If bitten, call 911 or Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222.

Timber rattlesnake venom

Official sources class the timber rattlesnake as venomous. New York says the venom is used mainly to immobilize prey and can be fatal to humans if a bite is untreated; Texas calls it highly venomous. Newborns already have fangs and venom.

What states have timber rattlesnakes?

The range runs from southern New Hampshire through the Appalachians to northern Florida and west to southeastern Texas, southeastern Nebraska and Wisconsin, with isolated populations in the Northeast (NYSDEC). State agencies confirm it in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia, among others.

Timber rattlesnake range

From New England to northern Florida, west to central Texas and north to southwest Wisconsin (Alabama), and from central Oklahoma nearly to Maine (Oklahoma).

Timber rattlesnake size

Most adults are 36 to 60 inches long; the record is 74.5 inches (Florida Museum). Missouri says they can reach up to 75 inches. Northern snakes tend to be smaller than southern canebrakes.

Timber rattlesnake baby

Young are born live, about 10 to 14 inches long, look like small adults and already have hollow fangs and venom. They stay in the area with their mother for 1 to 2 weeks until they shed and disperse (New York).

Canebrake rattlesnake

Canebrake rattlesnake is a regional name for the timber rattlesnake. Georgia says the southern form is larger, with bold chevrons and a reddish-orange stripe down the back. It is the same venomous species.

Eastern diamondback rattlesnake vs timber rattlesnake

Both are venomous. The diamondback has a row of large dark diamonds with brown centers and cream borders; the timber has black chevron crossbands, a reddish-brown back stripe and a black tail.

Timber rattlesnake pa

The timber rattlesnake is legally protected in Pennsylvania and a permit is required to take or possess one. PFBC says not to kill, move or capture any snake, and to call a local Waterways Conservation Officer if one must be moved.

Timber rattlesnake nc

North Carolina lists the timber rattlesnake as a state Special Concern species. It is venomous and most common in the mountains and Coastal Plain.

Timber rattlesnake tennessee

Tennessee calls the timber rattlesnake the largest and most dangerous of its four venomous snakes, and says it occurs across the state.

Sources

  1. Florida Snake ID Guide species account: Timber Rattlesnake. Florida Museum of Natural History (University of Florida). updated September 23, 2022; checked November 3, 2026.
    Quoted passages (7)
    “The Timber Rattlesnake is a large and impressive snake, and bites can be very dangerous to people and pets. … Timber rattlesnakes are not aggressive and avoid direct contact with people and pets.”
    “Most adult Timber Rattlesnakes are about 36-60 inches (76-152 cm) in total length, with a record length recorded of 74.5 inches (189 cm).”
    “The tail is usually uniformly black. The tail ends in a rattle, which is often held above the ground.”
    “The large and thick head is distinct from the neck … The pupil is vertically elliptical”
    “The dorsal scales of the body are keeled”
    “This is generally a mild tempered rattlesnake that will usually attempt to escape if disturbed. Some Timber Rattlesnakes lie quietly coiled when first discovered. … Nonetheless, these snakes are not aggressive, and striking is only used in defense as a last resort.”
    “The Eastern Diamond-backed Rattlesnake has a row of large dark diamonds with brown centers and cream borders down its back. The large and thick head is distinct from the neck and has a light bordered dark stripe running diagonally through each eye.”
  2. Timber Rattlesnake (Field Guide). Missouri Department of Conservation. undated page; checked November 3, 2026.
    Quoted passages (3)
    “There is a large sensory pit (heat-sensing pit) located between the nostril and eye on either side of the head.”
    “Do not rely on a rattle sound for identification, though; remember that snakes’ tails are occasionally injured or cut off, and that a surprised snake may not have time to sound its rattle.”
    “Mainly active from April through mid-October. They bask on sunny rocks in spring and autumn. In summer they are mostly nocturnal.”
  3. Timber Rattlesnake. Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (Outdoor Alabama). undated page; checked November 3, 2026.
    Quoted passages (1)
    “Timber rattlesnakes inhabit upland and lowland habitats such as hardwood forest with rocky outcrops, pine flatwoods, bottomland hardwood forests, and cane thickets.”
  4. Venomous Snakes Fact Sheet Series: Timber Rattlesnake. Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division. PDF Last-Modified Fri, 02 Feb 2024 14:12:53 GMT; checked November 3, 2026.
  5. Timber Rattlesnake. NYSDEC. archived copy, captured October 15, 2026; checked November 3, 2026.
    Quoted passages (3)
    “Neonates (newborn) timber rattlesnakes are about 10-14 inches long at birth. … The young are miniature versions of adults, complete with hollow fangs, venom and a tiny rattle segment called a "pre-button". Shortly after birth, they shed their skin and drop their pre-button to reveal the button”
    “Following a gestation period of 4-5 months, females give birth to 4-14 (average 9) young every three to five years between late August to mid-September.”
    “Collecting timber rattlesnakes from the wild is now prohibited by law under Environmental Conservation Law 11-0535 and 11-0103(2)(c).”
  6. ECOS species report query (Crotalus horridus, Lampropeltis triangulum, Python bivittatus, Phrynosoma spp.). U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. live query 2026-11-03; checked November 3, 2026.
  7. Timber Rattlesnake (NCWRC species page). N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. undated page; checked November 3, 2026.
    Quoted passages (1)
    “See a rattlesnake in the wild? We want to know!”
  8. Timber Rattlesnake (Field Guide). Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. undated page; checked November 3, 2026.
    Quoted passages (1)
    “The only remotely similar snake is the western pygmy rattlesnake, which is much smaller in size (usually less than two feet in total length), has spots rather than cross bands, and has a very small rattle. Western pygmy rattlesnakes do have an orange to red-orange midline. Close examination on the top of the head will reveal tiny scales on the western pygmy rattlesnake and large scales on timber rattlesnakes.”
  9. TPWD Wildlife Fact Sheet: Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus). Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. undated page; checked November 3, 2026.
  10. DNR, Marshall students study how relocation affects rattlesnakes. West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. published 2020-06-16; checked November 3, 2026.
  11. Snake Species Field Guide: Timber Rattlesnake. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. undated page; checked November 3, 2026.
  12. Timber Rattlesnake Conservation. Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. undated page; checked November 3, 2026.
  13. Reptiles » Snakes (Tennessee Watchable Wildlife species accounts). Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (Tennessee Watchable Wildlife website). undated page; checked November 3, 2026.
  14. GBIF.org occurrence records, human observations licensed CC0 1.0 or CC BY 4.0 only, accessed November 3, 2026. The datasets behind these counts are listed on our Sources page.
  15. State boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau, cartographic boundary file cb_2024_us_state_20m.